Laundry seems simple: detergent, water, spin, dry. But then there are those laundry mysteries — and we're not talking missing socks. Here's what you must know about what's going on in your washer.

You can't really check the label for this answer since laundry detergents aren't regulated by a government agency that requires them to list ingredients. But for the most part, if a detergent claims to be green, it's because of the following criteria:

It contains surfactants derived from coconut, soy, or palm oils. (FYI: "Surfactant" is just a fancy word for soap.) Unlike petroleum-based surfactants that come from crude oil, biodegradable plant-derived surfactants come from renewable resources. Scientists have figured out how to get an effective clean from plant-based soaps — so you're not sacrificing cleaning power to protect the earth.

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It's dye-free. Dyes can irritate skin — sometimes more than fragrance, says Gwen Whiting, cofounder of The Laundress, a green brand. Unlike most regular detergents, which are dyed blue or green, environmentally green detergents are usually clear or milky white.

It uses a bleach alternative instead of chlorine bleach. Green detergents rely on an oxygen bleach, optical brighteners, or baking soda as a chlorine bleach alternative.

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Look for green detergent brands like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Sun & Earth, and Arm & Hammer Essentials, which are available at grocery and specialty chains for about the same price as premium mass brands.

Can I use fabric softener with everything?

Nope. Skip fabric softener when washing towels, athletic wear, and baby clothes. Most liquid fabric softeners use tallow, an animal fat by-product, as a softening agent, while green brands use plant-derived soybean or vegetable oils — either way, the greasy base will interfere with absorbency and flame retardance of the items mentioned above. On everything else, go ahead and use it! Softener leaves clothes feeling soft and fluffy and makes ironing easier, as it cancels out the static charge on the fabric's surface. But whether you prefer liquid or dryer sheets, use a softener only every few washes — when used every time, it can build up and cause a dingy appearance, according to Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook.

How many detergents do I really need?

Your regular all-in-one detergent will clean your clothes — but specialty detergents keep those clothes in better shape for longer. Do you really need a detergent for every color and fabric in your wardrobe? Some specialty detergents are worth adding to your laundry-room shelf. Here's why:

WOOL/CASHMERE DETERGENT: When it comes to your cashmere, skip the dry cleaner! Hand-washing wool and cashmere delicates maintains the soft feel of your sweaters. Dry-cleaning chemicals, on the other hand, break down the yarn in wool and cashmere and strip the fabric of its natural oils (plus, the process is pricier than hand-washing!). Try The Laundress Wool & Cashmere shampoo — the formula is more like a hair shampoo than a laundry detergent, which means it effectively targets sweat and preserves the yarn.

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DELICATES DETERGENT: Enzymes can damage fine silks or wool — so these enzyme-free detergents are safe for your delicates but ineffective at removing stains (if you spill something on your silk blouse, take it to the dry cleaner).

BABY DETERGENT: Scientists have developed enzymes that attack and dissolve protein-based stains (like milk and formula) — you'll find this formulation in newer baby detergents, like Mrs. Meyer's and The Laundress baby detergents.

DARK-WASH DETERGENT: New color-guard enzymes keep white fuzz, or lint (which is created when clothes rub against each other in the washer), from collecting on your clothes and making them look sort of gray. Tip: To keep denim extra dark (and still soft), add fabric softener to the wash and then line-dry.

WHITES DETERGENT: These contain a small amount of chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach, or bleach alternative (like optical brighteners that give fabrics a bluish tint so they appear whiter).

HIGH-EFFICIENCY DETERGENT: These detergents are low sudsing for front-loading machines (which useless water), because excess suds can redeposit dirt and oil onto clothes. Plus, suds can build up in your washer and lead to unpleasant odors.

Why not make one superpower do-it-all detergent?

"You can't add all of these special enzymes into one detergent. It's like the two-in-one shampoos — when you try to pack too many things in one bottle, the effectiveness suffers," says Pam Helms, vice president of research and development for the Caldrea company (makers of premium laundry detergents).

What's the deal with all the laundry scents?

Laundry detergents nearly rival a department store's perfume counter when it comes to aromatic variety. Many detergents label their scents "natural," which usually means the fragrance comes from the essential oils of a plant, flower, seed, or citrus fruit. Other fragrances are made synthetically (often using petroleum-derived ingredients), or with a mix of artificial scents and essential oils. Synthetic fragrances — which are far more common in the laundry-care aisle than natural scents — are longer lasting, staying pleasingly fragrant through the wash cycle, the drying phase, and well beyond the moment when you pull the garment out of your dresser drawer. On the other hand, fragrances made with plant-based essential oils are a greener choice: The scent oils are biodegradable and made from renewable resources, and are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

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Seventh Generation is one laundry brand that stands out for natural fragrance — its green detergents use 100 percent essential oils of blue eucalyptus and lavender, or white flower and bergamot citrus (sourced from sustainable farms around the world), creating complex scents that smell terrific.

When should I use a laundry booster?

Laundry boosters are formulated to work with your detergent to tackle stains. Use them for stain-filled loads and as a time-saver if you want to skip the pretreat step on stained clothes. A few boosters do have other cool uses: OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover powder and OxiClean Triple Power StainFighter liquid help your colors look vibrant longer by neutralizing the color-fading chlorine often found in water. "In a swatch test, clothing that was washed in water lost more color than the clothing washed in OxiClean after eight washes," says clothing-care expert Steve Boorstein.

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SORT YOUR LAUNDRY!

Fuzzy sweats, chenille robes, flannels, and new towels share their lint with other garments during washing, making for a fuzzy mess. Wash them in a load by themselves, says The Soap and Detergent Association.

HARD WATER VS. SOFT WATER

If your detergent's not performing well, check the hardness of your water. Detergents work better in softer water. 20 Mule Team Borax softens the water, which allows for better soil removal.

Why am I paying the same price for smaller bottles of detergent?

Traditional large detergent bottles are being replaced by bottles half the size that contain 2X ultra-concentrated formulas. In fact, detergent giant Procter & Gamble — which makes Tide, Cheer, Gain, Era, and Dreft — is rolling out concentrated versions of its detergents now and will completely phase out the old bottles by late spring. But don't worry: You're still getting the same number of loads per bottle, because you'll use just half the amount of detergent per load (yes, the measuring caps are shrinking too). And REDBOOK got some inside scoop on the new 2X concentrated Tide: It's actually being formulated with more enzymes and cleaning ingredients, so it's a superior detergent to the old Tide. The new packaging benefits everyone — it's a true case of less is more.

Cleaning up the environment

Major detergent brands are getting more environmentally conscious. According to Procter & Gamble, its new concentrated detergents and smaller packaging will result in:

35 percent less water used.

Up to 43 percent less plastic used (equivalent to about 2 billion plastic shopping bags per year).

A total packaging reduction equivalent to the municipal solid waste of 40,000 people per year.

Greenhouse-gas reduction equal to the annual emissions of 40,000 cars.

REAPPEARING STAINS

When treated incorrectly, stains like wine and soda do come back. A dab of water may make it look like they've disappeared, but the sugar in the stain oxidizes in the air and eventually turns yellow or brown, according to The Soap and Detergent Association. Treat it right the first time.

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What's the best way to remove stains?

Steve Boorstein, author of The Clothing Doctor's 99 Secrets to Cleaning & Clothing Care, gave us his top tips for removing the most common laundry stains. (These recommended solutions are for washable colorfast clothing.)

When away from home, immediately hit these stains with a Tide to Go pen or OxiClean Spray-A-Way, or else dab a little dishwashing detergent(like Dawn) mixed with water on the stain — but don't rub. Follow by dabbing the stain with a water-soaked white cloth. At home, pretreat with Zout (which Boorstein finds works better than Shout) and wash as soon as possible.(A fabric-safe bleach will remove the last trace of a chocolate or ice cream stain; for red wine stains, you may need to repeat the process.)

STAIN

Lipstick

SOLUTION

This oily stain won't come off with just water. "The best stain remover for lipstick that I've tested is Spray 'n Wash," says Boorstein.

STAIN

Makeup and ring around the collar

SOLUTION

Pretreat with liquid detergent or stain remover and warm water — then wash.

STAIN

Blood

SOLUTION

Pretreat with OxiClean, Spray-A-Way and wash in cold water.

STAIN

Food grease or oil; ink

SOLUTION

You can try stain removers and pretreatment, but your best bet is to send the item to a good dry cleaner.

STAIN

Bike grease

SOLUTION

Pretreat with your favorite stain remover, then use the prewash cycle and wash with warm or hot water. Air-dry anything with grease stains; dryer heat can set the stain.

STAIN

Mustard

SOLUTION

This condiment contains turmeric, which is a natural dye. Brush off any dry stain and then saturate remaining stain with Spray 'n Wash. Wash with a color-safe bleach to remove last traces of stain.

STAIN

Grass

SOLUTION

Pretreat with liquid detergent or stain remover and wash. Soak large stains with OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover in warm water for 30 minutes.